Chapter Six - Climate change impact on livestock production

Abstract

The livestock sector is essential to global food security and health through its contribution to nutritious diets, economic growth, and livelihoods. It plays a crucial role in improving the lives of millions by providing reliable supplies of meat, milk, eggs, and dairy products. It also helps to create employment and generate income along with simultaneously strengthening rural households to achieve their livelihood. However, climate change causes severe threats to the livestock sector, ultimately reducing the profitability of farmers. Elevated temperatures and climate variability adversely affect general health, feed intake, milk production, and livestock reproductive efficiency. Livestock production systems also significantly contribute to climate change through greenhouse gas emissions. Improved management practices can be adapted to mitigate the undesirable effects of climate change to a certain level. Housing management as well as nutritional supplementation with vitamins, minerals, and exogenous antioxidants can be tried to nullify the harmful effects of heat stress. Genetically improved heat-tolerant flocks suitable for local conditions could also be developed for enhanced milk production. This chapter elaborates on the various impacts of climate change on the livestock production system and its ameliorative strategies to prevent economic losses incurred due to environmental changes.